IP Library Patent Application 12399803
Patent Application
App. No. 12/399,803

Managing Data in a Non-Volatile Memory System

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
12/399,803
Abstract

Management of data in a non-volatile memory system is disclosed. A write command may be received that indicates a logical block address for writing data associated with the write command. The logical block address may be within a logical zone. The logical zone may be one of a plurality of logical zones within the non-volatile memory, wherein each of the plurality of logical zones comprises a different range of logical block addresses than the rest of the plurality of logical zones. The logical zone may further comprise a temporary storage block. The data associated with the write command may be written to the temporary storage block of the logical zone when a size of the data associated with the write command does not exceed a threshold. The data associated with the write command may be transferred from the temporary storage block to the logical block address in response to a trigger event.

Claims (29)

1 . A method for managing data in a non-volatile memory system, the method comprising:

receiving a write command indicating a logical block address for writing data associated with the write command, the logical block address within a logical zone, the logical zone further comprising a temporary storage block;

writing the data associated with the write command to the temporary storage block of the logical zone when a size of the data associated with the write command does not exceed a threshold; and

transferring the data associated with the write command from the temporary storage block to the logical block address in response to a trigger event.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising updating a table associated with the temporary storage block to reflect the writing of the data associated with the write command to the temporary storage block.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising identifying an outdated or redundant entry in the table.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising deleting the outdated or redundant entry from the table.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the trigger event comprises the table being filled to a predetermined level.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the trigger event comprises the temporary storage block being filled to a predetermined level.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the trigger event comprises a passage of a predetermined amount of time.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the threshold is a fixed value.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the data associated with the write command comprises file system data.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the data associated with the write command comprises user data.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the logical zone is one of a plurality of logical zones within non-volatile memory, each of the plurality of logical zones comprising a different range of logical block addresses than the rest of the plurality of logical zones.

12 . A system for managing data in non-volatile memory, the system comprising:

a non-volatile memory controller in communication with the non-volatile memory, the non-volatile memory controller comprising:

a communications module configured to receive a write command indicating a logical block address for writing data associated with the write command, the logical block address within a logical zone, the logical zone further comprising a temporary storage block; and

a data management module configured to write the data associated with the write command to the temporary storage block of the logical zone when a size of the data associated with the write command does not exceed a threshold, and to transfer the data associated with the write command from the temporary storage block to the logical block address in response to a trigger event.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the non-volatile memory controller further comprises a record management module configured to update a table associated with the temporary storage block to reflect the writing of the data associated with the write command to the temporary storage block.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the record management module is further configured to identify an outdated or redundant entry in the table.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the record management module is further configured to delete the outdated or redundant entry from the table.

16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the trigger event comprises the table being filled to a predetermined level.

17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the trigger event comprises the temporary storage block being filled to a predetermined level.

18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the trigger event comprises a passage of a predetermined amount of time.

19 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the logical zone is one of a plurality of logical zones within the non-volatile memory, each of the plurality of logical zones comprising a different range of logical block addresses than the rest of the plurality of logical zones.

20 . A computer readable storage medium having a program embodied thereon, the program executable by a processor to perform a method for managing data in a non-volatile memory system, the method comprising:

receiving a write command indicating a logical block address for writing data associated with the write command, the logical block address within a logical zone, the logical zone further comprising a temporary storage block;

writing the data associated with the write command to the temporary storage block of the logical zone when a size of the data associated with the write command does not exceed a threshold; and

transferring the data associated with the write command from the temporary storage block to the logical block address in response to a trigger event.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2011
From: IRONKEY, INC.
To: IMATION CORP.
Reel/Frame 027165/0487 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 6, 2009
From: RAMIYA MOTHILAL, ARUNPRASAD; IYER, SREE
To: IRONKEY, INC.
Reel/Frame 022360/0847 →